| Governor approves all 8 candidates as MLCs Some of them appointed in violation of J&K Constitution | | The new MLCs l BJP: Ashok Khajuria, Ajatshatru Singh, Romesh Arora and Surinder Ambardar l PDP: Khursheed Alam, Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Saifuddin Bhat and Vikramaditya | | Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Apr 9: Governor NN Vohra has approved names of all the eight candidates forwarded by PDP-BJP coalition government for appointment as MLCs on reserved seats.
Secretary of J&K Law Department, Mohammad Ashraf Mir told Early Times that Vohra has returned the file after approving the names of all the candidates.
The new MLCs are: Ashok Khajuria, Ajatshatru Singh, Romesh Arora and Surinder Ambardar from BJP; Khursheed Alam, Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Saifuddin Bhat and Vikramaditya from PDP.
If sources are to be believed, most of the newly nominated MLCs have been allegedly appointed in violation of Section 50(6) of Jammu and Kashmir Constitution.
As Early Times has reported earlier, the Section 50(6) says, "Out of 36 members of the Upper House, eight shall be nominated by the Governor, not more than three of whom shall be belonging to any of the socially or economically backward classes in the state. And the others shall be having special knowledge or practical experience in matters such as literature, science, art, cooperative movement and social service."
Most of the new MLCs, however, do not fulfill the criterion as per the Constitution of the state.
For example, Khajuria, Bhat, Ambardar, Vikramaditya and Ajatshatru are neither from socially or economically backward classes, nor can they be considered having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, etc, the sources said.
"Manhas is indeed a literary person while Alam is a veteran trade union leader," they said.
The Governor certainly enjoys constitutional authority, "but he has given his consent even as the criterion for nominating the members has not been adhered to," the source said.
"When not in power, the BJP had been accusing the previous NC-Congress coalition government of violating the rules. But now the party has itself violated the constitution," said a political analyst.
"The PDP, however, has adhered to the rules and sent the persons who meet the eligibility criterion for becoming an MLC," the analyst added.
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